Flashback Friday!!! Here Comes the Pitch!

I have a brother who is 6 years my junior and man, do I love that kid!! OK so he isn't a kid anymore but in my mind I still picture him as a kid. I was scrolling through my pictures and this one just gave me a happy little feeling in the pit of my stomach as I studied it. You see my brother played Baseball from the moment he was cut from my mother's womb, my Dad had been waiting for a very long time to finally get "his boy". In fact he had us all named Jack until he found out we were girls and then when he got my brother is was like life had just handed him the best gift ever! Now I never really fully appreciated the whole father and son thing until I had my little boy and now when I watch Jimmy and James it just brings me joy! Back to the field, well my brother played spring ball, fall ball and all the seasons of ball there is, and in Vegas that means year round! My Dad never missed a game or a practice and most of the time my Mom was right there too, it was often a family thing to go watch him play.

When Jack reached High School he was the pitcher, well actually, if you know anything about the grooming of baseball players they are placed at a very young age in the position that they have the "most potential" in, so he had been doing it awhile. This stage of his playing was probably my favorite to watch, I would go to the games with my parents and sit in the hard bleachers and cheer him on. I loved watching him standing on top the pitchers mound as he took his side step position, waiting for the sign from the catcher, occasionally shaking his head no, eying home plate and any possible runners, then lifting his right leg, lunging forward, releasing the ball and then, my favorite part, "Strieeek" the ump would grunt! I remember hearing the reactions from other parents in the stands "Oh man did you see Jack's curve ball!" or "Man, that kid has an arm!" I was sooo proud of him! I wanted to just yell out "Yup, that's my little brother!"
He wore number 14 and my voice could always be heard above the others, yelling "Strike 'em out 14, you can do it!" I miss those days!

I don't know that I have ever told Jack how happy watching him play made me, or how proud I am of him now as well! Jack has had some struggles, as many of us have, but I sure love him and I am so glad that he is where he is now! He is an AMAZING uncle to my children, a son to my parents and a brother to me! Love you Jack and thanks for the flashback little brother!!